Bolivian general election, 1964

Last updated
Coat of arms of Bolivia.svg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Bolivia

General elections were held in Bolivia on 31 May 1964. [1] Víctor Paz Estenssoro of the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) was the only candidate for president, and was re-elected with 98% of the vote. [2] The MNR retained its large majority in Congress.

Bolivia country in South America

Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia is a landlocked country located in western-central South America. The capital is Sucre while the seat of government and financial center is located in La Paz. The largest city and principal industrial center is Santa Cruz de la Sierra, located on the Llanos Orientales a mostly flat region in the east of Bolivia.

Víctor Paz Estenssoro President of Bolivia

Ángel Víctor Paz Estenssoro was a Bolivian politician who served as President of Bolivia from 1952 to 1956, 1960 to 1964 and 1985 to 1989. He ran for president eight times and was victorious in 1951, 1960, 1964 and 1985. His 1951 victory was annulled by a military junta led by Hugo Ballivián, and his 1964 victory was interrupted by the 1964 Bolivian coup d'état.

Revolutionary Nationalist Movement political party

The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement is a Bolivian political party and the leading force behind the Bolivian National Revolution. It influenced much of the country's history since 1941.

Contents

Results

PartyPresidential candidateVotes%Seats
ChamberSenate
ElectedTotal+/–ElectedTotal+/–
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement Víctor Paz Estenssoro 1,114,71797.93657–7922–7
Anti-Communist Bolivian Front 12,2451.100New00New
National Civic Union 11,1421.011New00New
Bolivian Socialist Falange 6130.103–1000
Social Christian Party 2280.0010000
Authentic Revolutionary Party 920.002–1000
Communist Party 740.0000000
Revolutionary Party of the Nationalist Left 230.009New05New
Revolutionary Workers' Party 160.0000000
Bolivian Civic Action 70.0000000
Invalid/blank votes158,162
Total1,297,3191003773+19270
Registered voters/turnout1,411,56091.9
Source: Nohlen, Political Handbook of the World 1965

Aftermath

Following the elections, General René Barrientos led a military coup in November 1964, removing Paz from office. The coup led to a series of authoritarian and military regimes that remained in power until 1982. [3]

René Barrientos President of Bolivia

René Barrientos Ortuño was a Bolivian military officer and politician who served as his country's Vice President in 1964 and as its President from 1966 to 1969.

Related Research Articles

Hernán Siles Zuazo Bolivian politician

Hernán Siles Zuazo was a Bolivian politician who served as constitutionally elected president twice, from 1956 to 1960 and again from 1982 to 1985. He also briefly served as the temporary president in April 1952, and as vice president between 1952 and 1956.

Lidia Gueiler Tejada President of Bolivia

Lidia Gueiler Tejada was the first female President of Bolivia, serving in an interim capacity from 1979 to 1980. She was Bolivia's first and only female Head of State, and the second in American history.

Juan Lechín Oquendo Trade unionist & Vice President of Bolivia

Juan Lechín Oquendo was a labor-union leader and head of the Federation of Bolivian Mine Workers (FSTMB) from 1944 to 1987 and the Bolivian Workers' Union (COB) from 1952 to 1987. He also served as Vice President of Bolivia between 1960 and 1964.

Revolutionary Party of the Nationalist Left

The Revolutionary Party of the Nationalist Left was a left-wing political party in Bolivia. It was founded in 1963 by the labor leader Juan Lechín Oquendo and by Mario Torres Calleja and Edwin Moller in lesser roles. The PRIN seceded from the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) in protest against Víctor Paz Estenssoro's decision to seek a third elected term as president in 1964, rather than permit then Vice-President Juan Lechín to have the MNR's presidential nomination.

Bolivian Socialist Falange political party

The Bolivian Socialist Falange is a Bolivian political party established in 1937. Despite its leftist-sounding name, it was a far-right party drawing inspiration from fascism. It was the country's second-largest party between approximately 1954 and 1974. After that, its followers have tended to gravitate toward the government endorsed military candidacy of General Juan Pereda (1978) and, especially, toward the ADN party of former dictator Hugo Banzer. Its current status is unclear.

Wálter Guevara President of Bolivia

Wálter Guevara Arze was a Bolivian statesman, cabinet minister, writer, diplomat, and president (1979).

1989 Bolivian general election

General elections were held in Bolivia on 7 May 1989. As no candidate for the presidency received over 50% of the vote, the National Congress was required to elect a President on 6 August. Although the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement had received the most votes, its candidate for President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada was defeated by Jaime Paz Zamora of the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) in the Congressional vote, despite the MIR only finishing third in the public vote.

1979 Bolivian general election

General elections were held in Bolivia on 1 July 1979. As no candidate in the presidential elections received a majority of the vote, the National Congress was required to elect a President. However, the Congress failed to elect a candidate after three ballots, and instead selected Senate leader Wálter Guevara to serve as Interim President for a year on 8 August. Guevara was later overthrown by a military coup led by Alberto Natusch on 31 October. Fresh elections were held in June 1980.

1980 Bolivian general election

General elections were held in Bolivia on 29 June 1980, the third in three years. As no candidate in the presidential elections received a majority of the vote, the National Congress was required to elect a President on 6 August. With Hernán Siles Zuazo of the Democratic and Popular Union the favourite to win the Congressional ballot, the process was disrupted on 17 July by the military coup led by General Luis García Meza Tejada. However, Meza was pressured to resign on 4 August 1981, resulting in General Celso Torrelio becoming President. In July 1982 he was replaced by General Guido Vildoso, who was named by the high command to return the country to democratic rule. On 17 September 1982, during a general strike that brought the country close to civil war, the military decided to step down, to reconvene the National Congress elected in 1980, and to accept its choice of President. Accordingly, the National Congress revalidated the 1980 election results on 23 September and overwhelmingly elected Hernán Siles Zuazo as President on 5 October. He subsequently assumed the presidency on 10 October 1982.

1966 Bolivian general election

General elections were held in Bolivia on 3 July 1966. René Barrientos of the Front of the Bolivian Revolution (FRB) was elected President with 67% of the vote, whilst the FRB won a majority in both houses of Congress. James Dunkerley describes the election as not free and fair since a major segment of the opposition was excluded from participating.

1960 Bolivian general election

General elections were held in Bolivia on 5 June 1960. Víctor Paz Estenssoro of the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) was elected President with 76% of the vote, whilst the MNR retained its large majority in Congress.

1951 Bolivian general election

General elections were held in Bolivia on 6 May 1951. Víctor Paz Estenssoro of the opposition Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) received the most votes in the presidential election, but as he did not obtain an absolute majority, the National Congress was constitutionally obliged to elect a President on 6 August from the three candidates who received the most public votes. However, on 16 May a military junta assumed responsibility for the Government with Brigadier General Hugo Ballivián as President.

The Authentic Revolutionary Party was a political party in Bolivia.

The Popular Christian Movement was a political party in Bolivia, de facto controlled by the military junta.

The Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement was a centre-left political party in Bolivia.

The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement–Alliance was a centrist electoral political alliance in Bolivia.

The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement–Julio was a pro-military political party in Bolivia.

References

  1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume II, p133 ISBN   978-0-19-928358-3
  2. Nohlen, p150
  3. Nohlen, p125